The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-29
THE OLD ROMAN.
Talk With Ex-senator Allen G.
Thurman
From the Brooklyn Eagle.

q Thurman, of Ohio, is spending a few
DAYS with his eldest married daughter the
wife of Lieut.. Cowles, of the Navy. at his
elegant country residence at Richmond Hill
reporter went out there yesterday after.
noon to interview him For many wears he
has enjoyed the reputation of hating the
interviewer as thoroughly and conseien-
tiously as a fat man hates corn. With
the aid of the denure and stately lass who
tends the post Office in the village, the re-
porter succeeded in getting on the road to
the cottage.
"Faith an bejabbers," said weather
beaten Irishman, bystander, beating the
damp air with his horny and saffron coIored
hand to give emphasis to his remarks, san'
We couldn't miss the house if yed a moind
to. It's got the funniest looking basement
We ever saw IN yer loife. 1t stands on a
hill The chimneys were Just visible over
the tree tops. The reporter trudged along
in the rain. Suddenly turn in the road
brought the house into plain view. Itoccu-
pied commanding position, and was an
preached by road sllirting it on two sides
One side of the house appeared TO
consist of an immense deserted con-
s ssrp pd preSeR WbsgI Within an extensive
hundred yards of the residence the figure of
TALL gray haired man doomed up cut of the
interior darkness of the conservatory and
stalked ma eSticaly to the window One
glance sufficed to show that the man was
Judge Thurman, and the reporter did not
fail to observe, as soon as he got close
enough, that the old gentleman was gazing
at him curiously and somewhat meditative-
lyas though dlvlning the nature of his visit,
while endeavor1ng to fix on scheme to put
quietus on him. There was an expression
of surprise in the sharp gray eyes, too, that
indicated that it was the first time re-
porter had called in that eighborhood since
his arrival a week ago.
On entering the house, the reporter found
Judge Thurman lying upon couch near
the window, in what has appeared to be
conservatory, but which was simply a large
sitting room, almost the entire side of the
house being of glass. 1t was light port
able couch, covered with soft rugs, and rest
ing upon tiger skin, the floor being of bare
stained wood The ex-senator arose with a
little evident difficulty to greet his visitor
and cordially extended white hand with
long fingers, and which felt wondrous soft
when contrasted with the sturdy frame and
the strong, rugged outlines of the face.
He twisted himself into a sitting posture
on the side of the couch, shifting his slip
pered feet little restlessly back and forth
on the floor, his elbows resting on his knees,
his hands clasped and his head hanging for
ward. A large book, bound in garnet cloth,
was on the bottom of the couch It was
opened, and the Judge had been reading it
when the reporter arrived. After few in
troductory words of welcome, he said:
81 have suffered greatly from lumbago
during the past month. / cannot sit up
longer than fifteen or twenty minutes at
time without experiencing such a pain in
the small of my back that am compelled to
lie down again"
II see you have been reading" said the
reporter, II,
back on the couch" land it is highly in
teresting book. Mcclellan was a grand,
good man. He was upright, and as in6e0
IDLY honest as any man | ever knew. All!
what a shame to have attacked him SO! He
was one of Gods own men,"
These words were uttered slowly and
earnestly, and in manner that showed that
Judge Thurman had been a most ardent
friend and admirer of the gallant Little
Mac"
The conversation turned to general topics,
the Judge declaring that he would not be in
terviewed.
1.-The only thing will talk about" he ex-
claimed with laugh, sis the weather."
care you out of politics for good" asked
the reporter.
Eyes, " answered the Judge, emphatically.
Then in a moment he FASTENED to add:
w utn l. say UldU L all OIb VI pOilulCo lOi
good l don't mean to say that am out to
the extent of not taking any further in
terest in them. But | don't want and | am
not candidate for any office whatever"
It was intimated that the public would
feel legitimate interest i'll whatever opinion
the Judge might care to express relative to
the recent red-hot controversy over the
restoring of Confederate battle flags to their
former owners. The Judge shook his head
gently and half closed his eyes, as though
he were mildly disguised at the mere men
ton of the subject:
81 suppose the denagogues will make all
they can out of the incident" he remarkedS.
sententiously He inquired with evident
interest what position the leading papers OF
New York city had taken III the matter, his
first inquiry being:
'''How did Charles A Dana stand~
When informed that Mr.. Dana had
characterized the order for the return of the
flags as a big blunder the Judge said:
"Umr' in a way that showed that he was
indulging in a somewhat profound medlta-
ton.
"'Wil you say what you think of Mr.;
Cleveland and his Administrations asked
the reporter.
Eyes, will, :" answered the Judge prompt
ly, and evidently embracing the question as
an opportunity to put himself on record on
the matter. 81 regard Mr.. Cleveland as a
brave, an honest and an able man. / might
not, perhaps, have done exactly as he has
done had been in his place, but | believe
him to be thoroughly upright and honest,
and to possess much more ability than he Is
given credit for. think that he has never
done except what he believed to be right"
The talk touched on Blaine.
''The general sentiment seems to be" SAID
the reporter, in answer to a question bear
ing on the point by the Judge, that MI
Blaine can get the Republican nomination
if he wants it"
at is year yet before the politicians get
together" said the Judge, land you can Z
begin to tell what may happen in year .,
This was not said in a manner that indicated
that Judge Thurman was at all apprehen-
sive about Mr. Blaine's candidacy, or that
he regarded him as n dangerous man 10
fight In tho next national campaign, puu
in a way that conveyed the impression that
the Judge was really in serious doubt as TO
whether the Plumed Knight could get OF
would take the nomination. tie showed
how he regarded the situation by asking:
''Can Mr.. Blaine get a solid New Aork
delegationl"
To this question. of course, there could
be no satisfactory answer
The Judge inquired after Gen. harry W.
Slocum. 3,
'He was mighty good soldier" he SAID
graf-.